


Welcome Home

by De_Marvel_Bunny



Series: Whumptober 2019 [30]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Family, Character Death, Crying, Death, Eventual Happy Ending, Everyone Needs A Hug, Heavy Angst, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, Lots of Crying, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Protective Steve Rogers, SORT OF i think, Sad with a Happy Ending, Steve Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers Gets a Hug, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Team as Family, Tony Angst, Tony Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, Whumptober 2019, dang i thought that would be a tag, disappointment 3000, tony stark deserves the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 12:07:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21243824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/De_Marvel_Bunny/pseuds/De_Marvel_Bunny
Summary: Tony reveled in the way the sun felt warm on his face and the feeling of Steve's hand in his.Steve noticed Tony's hand was no longer in his. He turned around at the sound of frantic screaming. He pushed through the crowd, and his blood ran cold.OR,Tony gets assassinated. Crying.





	Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kcusllay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcusllay/gifts), [The_Sad_Fangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Sad_Fangirl/gifts).

> Did you like the last fic because fluff? Well... This ain't no fluff.
> 
> Warning: Major Character Death
> 
> I did not read this through to check for mistakes because I was crying and unwilling to read it all again so if there are any mistakes, deal with it. Love y'all, enjoy :) <3

It was a warm, sunny day when Steve, Tony, Clint, and Natasha decided to go to the park. It was their day off from training for the first time in a while, and they'd decided to make good use of it. Steve, Clint, and Nat were in a heated conversation about something Tony didn't bother to focus on as he just enjoyed their soothing presence. He smiled, reveling in the sunlight on his face and the feeling of Steve's hand in his.

Steve and Tony had been dating for a few months now, and neither could be happier. They took things slow, although they never passed a chance to remind each other how much love they felt. It was a nice change of pace for both of them and Tony found it was amazing to be able to say 'I love you' to someone every day. And especially to hear it being said back. He loved how he could just lean over and kiss Steve whenever he felt like it (which he made good use of). Steve wasn't shy in showing his affection, either.

Overall, they were the happiest they could be together. So, on a nice, sunny day like this, surrounded by his friends and lover, Tony felt like he was on top of the world. He felt lighter than he'd ever felt before as Steve shared the weight of the world that had seemed to rest on only Tony's shoulders until then. It was nice to have some help, to have someone take care of him for once, Tony thought.

He was shaken from his thoughts by his phone ringing. He startled a bit, fumbling for his phone. When he pulled it out, a piece of paper that had been in the same pocket fell out and onto the sidewalk. He let go of Steve's hand for just a second to pick it up while answering his phone at the same time. He sighed when he saw Pepper's name, knowing it was probably business. Deciding it was better to face the music straight away, he put the phone to his ear.

Steve, who had still been discussing inaccurate history movies with Nat and Clint, suddenly noticed Tony was no longer holding his hand. He tuned out Clint's voice as he rambled on about one thing or another as he looked back for his missing boyfriend.

Suddenly, a woman's scream sounded loudly from behind them, followed by multiple others. The crowd on the sidewalk started to move as panicked people started shouting, pointing, running around in panic. Steve struggled to push through the quickly growing crowds, unsure if it was a Captain America situation or not. When he finally managed to push all the way through, his blood ran cold.

Tony was lying on the pavement, his phone a small distance away from his limp hand. A puddle of blood was forming around him at an alarming rate as he lay unmoving on the sidewalk.

"Tony?" Steve called, although it was barely above a whisper. His throat tightened painfully, hot tears burning behind his eyes. The noise of the crowd behind him faded until it was just his breathing and his racing heart in his ears. He stumbled forward, crashing to his knees beside Tony's unmoving figure. "Tony?" He called again, his voice breaking. He carefully gathered Tony in his arms, turning him over into his lap. Tony's beautiful, intelligent, expressive eyes were open, though they didn't seem to be focused on anything, staring off into distant space. His chest wasn't rising and falling with easy breaths, his hands weren't fiddling with an energy he couldn't contain. Steve felt a sob tear past his throat when his shaking fingers couldn't find a heartbeat.

"Tony..." he croaked, his voice breaking on the name. "Tony, please. Please, look at me. You're scaring me, baby. Please, Tony, _please_..." His voice turned to a whisper as he begged for his lover to respond. But Tony's eyes remained unseeing, his chest remained unmoving and his heart remained still. Blood was still pouring from the wound in his chest, soaking Steve's clothes. But Steve didn't notice. All he saw was his love, his everything, unmoving and unresponsive in his arms. Steve was sure he was screaming, but he heard no sound. He could feel arms trying to pull him away, trying to take him away from Tony, but he resisted, holding Tony's limp body in his arms. He was shaking, tears running down his face in waterfalls.

"...eve, Steve!" Natasha's voice finally filtered through as she started pulling him away as medical arrived. But Steve was still looking at Tony's slowly paling face, gently closing the man's eyes, hating the way his body felt unnaturally limp in his arms. He thought back to all the times he'd picked up a sleeping Tony, who always seemed to curl into his warmth. Now, that same man was in his arms again, but he didn't curl into him. He didn't sleepily open his eyes to give him a goofy smile. He didn't even breathe out in a content sigh like he always did. 

Steve sobbed as he pulled the prone body closer to him, trying to keep some of the warmth from escaping Tony's body completely. He knew it was in vain, he knew it was too late. But he didn't want it to. He didn't want to think about living on without Tony there, without his warmth, his mirth, his stupid jokes that still managed to make Steve laugh. But paramedics still pulled him away, took Tony from his hands and covered him up, pushing away the growing crowd. Steve sobbed uncontrollably, his legs feeling weak and his heart feeling like it was going to give out. Clint wasn't doing much better beside him, and even Nat's eyes were filled with tears, her face pale. She pulled him in close, holding Clint's hand as well to show support and to ground him. Steve tried to pull away as he screamed at the paramedics to give his Tony back to him. But Nat forcefully pulled him back, looking him in the eyes.

"Steve, he's dead," she said, even her voice breaking at saying it out loud. She closed her eyes for a second, breathing in a shaky breath before opening them again and continuing. "There's no use, now. He's gone, Steve. I'm-I'm sorry..."

And that's how the story of Tony Stark ended. It wasn't right, not after everything the man had been through, after everything he'd survived, even against all odds. But Tony Stark died on a sunny day, October 30, assassinated by an unknown criminal, shot through the heart and killed instantly. He left behind his friends and the love of his life, and a world he'd fought so hard to make better.

Charities were raised in his name- the world was _changed_ in his name. People carried on his work, Steve and the Avengers working on keeping his memory alive. Memorials were held. People mourned all over the world for a hero they never deserved. Memorials were placed in various different countries. People took to the streets in groups or individually, making sure Tony Stark would never be forgotten. Graffiti paintings appeared at an alarming rate, although no one seemed to be too eager to stop it.

And it was nice how people made an effort to have him be remembered. But it wouldn't bring him back. Tony Stark was dead. He would remain dead, no matter how much people wanted that to change. No matter how much _Steve _wanted it to change. He longed for the day he would see him again, although he knew his work here wasn't done yet. For as long as he could, he did what he knew Tony would've wanted. He changed the world, together with the Avengers and everyone willing to join.

Until one day, it was time. He didn't know exactly how it happened, he didn't remember closing his eyes. But he opened them to see Tony's youthful face in front of him, his hand outstretched to help him up. Steve took it numbly, unable to look away from Tony, _his_ Tony, as his familiar eyes sparkled with his intelligence and mirth.

_"Welcome home, Steve."_

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't want to end this without some semblance of a happy ending so sue me, I'm a softie. Deal with it, Hannah.


End file.
